Document

Document

Yes
18% (10)

No
82% (45)

55 total votes.

The discovery of $54 million hidden in California’s parks department last week has created an awkward situation for officials and volunteers in San Diego County raising money to keep parks open amid budget problems.

State parks chief Ruth Coleman stepped down last week, and her top aide was fired, after the state found the department’s undisclosed reserve, amassing for 12 years. The discovery came while 70 parks were threatened with closure to make $22 million in cuts to a $364 million operating budget.

Three parks in the Colorado Desert District were listed for closure, including Palomar Mountain State Park in Pala and the Picacho and Salton Sea recreation areas in Imperial County. Locals were conducting an impassioned fundraising effort.

A video posted in May by the nonprofit Friends of Palomar Mountain State Park tells the story of “Black Friday,” May 13, 2011, when the state parks announced Palomar was on the list of closures.

As eerie wind gives way to jaunty folk music, text in the video states, “In the face of uncertainty, over 300 individuals, corporations and foundations committed the money needed to keep the park open for another year...The struggle isn’t over. How long will Palomar endure? Only you can answer that.”

Fundraising video: "Keep saving Palomar"

Nedra Martinez, acting superintendent of the Colorado Desert district headquartered in Borrego Springs, said the exposed surplus could affect much-needed donations — although that has not been the case yet.

“So far, our donor base has been really understanding. Even if this (surplus) money comes to us, it is one-time money and it’s not every year and our needs are every year,” Martinez said. “We are waiting for the investigation to finish and we are hopeful that the department will be able to use that money.”

Palomar has remained open with the help of a three-year agreement with the friends group. Local parks officials were notified last Thursday that Picacho will remain open with grants and state funding unrelated to the surplus, and officials are working to finalize a donor agreement to keep the Salton Sea recreation area open for six months, Martinez said.

Rick Barclay, chairman of the Palomar friends group, sent a letter to supporters Saturday indicating their donations are safe and being put to good use. The group has raised $160,000 since January.

“Faced with looming closure and significant deferred maintenance issues, all of us have worked very hard and have given generously to save Palomar and keep it open for future generations,” Barclay wrote. “Despite this recent disclosure, we remain confident that our work has been and will be critical to ensuring that Palomar Mountain State Park remains open, and we will continue to work to improve the park and ultimately make it self-sustaining.”

Barclay said Wednesday none of the donors have asked for their donation back and noted that the Legislature has yet to determine whether parks will receive any of the $54 million discovery.

Escondido’s San Pasqual Historic Battlefield State Historic Park near the San Diego Zoo Safari Park was one of 70 parks statewide marked for closure. The park marks the location of one of the bloodiest battles in the Mexican-American War in 1846.

A pending deal with a partner has kept San Pasqual’s July 1 closure at bay thus far. Clay Phillips, a parks district superintendent, said he is not concerned the discovery will affect finalization of the deal. He declined to identify the partner or the nature of the partnership.

“There is a lot left to learn about the discoveries that were revealed on Friday and it’s surprised us just like it surprised everyone else, but we are focused on serving the public and that is what my challenge and the challenge of staff is,” Phillips said.

The San Diego Coast District, which includes most state parks in the county, operates with a $9.6 million budget and welcomes 13.8 million visitors annually. The 10 parks in the district not targeted for closure have also been affected by state funding cuts, largely by not filling staff positions, Phillips said.

Some $900,000 has been cut from the San Diego Coastal District budget. That has meant alternating closures of the campgrounds at San Elijo and South Carlsbad state beaches during the off-season. Hours at museums countywide and educational programs at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park were reduced to save $25,000 a year. Some restrooms in day-use parks were closed to save on maintenance, and seasonal lifeguard hours were reduced 11 percent.

The San Diego Coastal District did see an influx of $800,000 in funds in the last fiscal year for use on special revenue generating projects, and a new picnic facility at the Border Field State Park opened this month. Cuts to most other services remain, Phillips said.

None of the seven parks in the Orange Coast District, including San Onofre State Beach, were threatened with closure. District officials there declined to discuss budget matters or comment on the discovered funds.

President Elizabeth Goldstein of the San Francisco-based nonprofit California State Parks Foundation wrote in an open letter to the governor and members of the state Legislature indicating the $54 million discovery “has affected our members, our partners, and the public’s trust in our state park system.”

The group awarded $20,000 in grants to the Friends of Palomar Mountain, $15,000 to the Sea and Desert Interpretative Association supporting the Salton Sea recreation area, and $15,000 to Friends4Picacho in recent months.

Goldstein called the loss of confidence in the parks system heartbreaking.

“For the last 14 months we have publicly and repeatedly made the urgent case for citizen volunteerism, activism and, most critically, financial contributions to keep our parks open,” Goldstein wrote. “In the days, weeks and months to come, we stand ready, as we have for 43 years, to work as a partner on behalf of our members and the millions of Californians and tourists who enjoy our state parks.”

Newly opened picnic area in the southwest corner of Border Field State Park. Summer 2012.
— California Department of Parks and Recreation

Newly opened picnic area in the southwest corner of Border Field State Park. Summer 2012.
/ California Department of Parks and Recreation